Engulfed
by Future Author 12
Summary: An arsonist is burning down apartment buildings,and he isn't stopping. With Nick and Sara on the case, everything seems to be fine, but will the arsonist slip between Nick & Sara's fingers when they get more preoccupied with their feelings for each other?
1. Chapter 1

1**A/N: **Hey! Haven't posted in a while, and this idea popped into my mind randomly. Okay, so Sara's still in Las Vegas. She dumped Grissom (yay!) and was re-hired as a CSI.

**Disclaimer:** Don't own it. Want it, but I can't have it.

**Rating:** This fiction will be full blown M in later chapters, and by 'full blown,' I mean extensive detail of head-board banging, toe-curling, setting the whole bed in fire sex. It will be HAWT!

So don't miss it!!

**xxx**

Sara Sidle wondered the halls of the CSI building, searching extensively for her case partner with the case assignment in her right hand. After searching for about six minutes, Sara assumed he was with his long-term girlfriend, sighed and sent him a text message, saying that he needed to meet her at the scene, ASAP. She headed toward the locker room to change into her vest and to get her kit and gun.

Entering, Sara was surprised to see her case partner sitting on the bench, his head in his hands.

Nick Stokes sighed and mumbled, "I screwed up."

"Nicky?"

Nick's head shot up and his eyes landed on Sara, finally noticing she was there. He cleared his throat and sat up straighter.

"Yeah. . . .I got your message and was just about to call you."

Seeing the way Nick was acting, Sara sat down beside him and asked, "What happened?"

Nick sighed. He would rather be at the crime scene, working out his emotions, but the way Sara slid her arm up and down his back proved that she was all ears to listen to him explain his emotional state.

Sighing, he said one word;

"Jennifer."

Sara's heart snapped; Jennifer Swanson. Five-eight, red hair, blue eyes and a total man-eater, as Sara put it. When she first saw her, Sara knew that Nick's heart was going to get broken and she wanted to tell him so, but Catherine had always talked her out of it. "Let him be happy," Cath would always say. But Nick didn't look happy to Sara.

Sara stated, "Nicky, I'm so sorry."

"She said I'm too into my work, and I am. She thinks I should be spending more time with her and less time at the lab," Nick explained, hanging his head again.

"If she thinks catching murderers and speaking for the victim's isn't as important as she is, then she's not worth your time."

Nick hung his head still and Sara placed her hand on his knee; Nick responded to the touch by looking at her.

"I could lie and tell you that you'll be fine. . . .but I'm your friend and I'm gonna tell you the truth: the pain doesn't ever completely go away. There are certain smells and words and feelings that will bring that person back into your head, even if you don't want them to come back. Those memories will rub salt in your wounds and the pain will resurface, but you just have to deal with it sometimes. It's hard at first, but. . . . but you'll survive through it."

In some way the words touched Nick; what Sara had said told him that every would be alright and that he should just forget about Jennifer.

Nick nodded and said, placing his hand over Sara's unconsciously, "Thanks."

Squeezing his hand, Sara replied, "No problem. . . . well, you know, Gil's gonna rip our heads off if we don't get to that scene."

"Yeah, you're right," Nick agreed, standing up.

Following suit, Sara stated, "Meet me at the Denali, okay?"

Nick nodded and Sara left Nick alone in the locker room once more, as he watched her walk away.

Ever since Sara and Grissom had broken their engagement off, she had became a whole new person. She was happier, more outgoing, and less of a workaholic. But also, Sara had become closer to her friends. Ecspecially Nick, for some reason; Nick wondered why he was closer to Sara than anyone else on the team. If something was wrong, Nick was the first one Sara called and vice versa. When he was bored, Nick would call her and they would go get something to eat, go for a walk, or just talk to each other.

But Nick felt more sometimes when he saw Sara smile, laugh, or purse her lip; he knew that back before Grissom, he and Sara had a little thing; they flirted shamelessly, they laughed until they cried and one got jealous when the other hand a new significant other. Nick always wondered what would happen if they ever did go the next step, but he knew that if he did, Grissom would have his ass on a platter for trying to date his ex-fiancee.

Sighing, Nick pulled on his vest, grabbed his kit and gun and stalked off, the thoughts of Sara still dancing around in his head.

**xxx**

**TBC is you want me to. **


	2. Chapter 2

1**A/N: Okay, so writing this story is my main priority right now because I want to make the few reviewers I have happy. Warning: Overemotional Sara here just because I felt like it. **

**Rating: T. . . for now**

**xxx**

The apartment complex was lit up like a Roman Candle, flames splaying out of windows and other openings. Smoke poured out, converging the clear, clean atmosphere into a haze of gray fumes. The water the fire fighters sprayed over the flames wasn't destroying the flames that burned and burned as if they were fueled with lighter fluid.

As the Denali rolled up, Sara's eyes had a glaze that reflected the whole tragedy as she soaked it in. Watching all the people running out, coughing and falling onto the ground showed Sara that this case with going to get to her eventually. Hell, it wouldn't even surprise her if she cried now.

"Sar?"

Nick's voice slashed through her thoughts and she quickly whipped her eyes to meet his.

"Yeah?"

"You okay there?" Nick asked, slightly concerned.

Sara nodded her head, and stammered out, "Yeah- yeah, I'm. . . .great," as she quickly scrambled out of the Denali to relief herself of the conversation.

Nick, feeling confused, followed her to the back of the Denali, where Sara was grabbing her kit. She was radically ordering her things, opening and closing her fingerprint powder containers, and picking up random things, then setting them down in the wrong place. Wanting to know what was wrong, Nick grabbed Sara's upper arm and she looked at him.

"What's wrong, Sar?"

Sara stated, staring down into the depths of her kit, "Nothing."

"Sar, talk to me," Nick said in a firm but gentle voice.

"I just. . . . I'm not sure if I'm able to be distant from this case, Nick. All these people aren't just case files, they're real people, and-"

Nick stated, "I know that, Sara. I know that you will probably get emotionally involved and that's okay; I'd be worried if you didn't get emotionally involved."

Sara sighed and finally looked him in the eyes. She sighed and stated, "You know. . . I've been so crazy ever since the un-engagement. I jump at every sound and I get scared whe- when the lights go out during a storm. . . .either I'm going insane or I'm. . . . going insane."

She chuckled, shaking her head and slamming her kit shut. It was evident to Nick that she didn't want to talk anymore, but he was going to make her open up one way or another. Sighing, he grabbed his silver kit and walked away, hearing Sara trail behind him.

She was so stubborn at times, he knew, but Nick thought it was as annoying as it was cute. Sara was an independent woman; she survived many tragedies, ranging from being left under a car to die in the middle of the desert to finding out her soon-to-be husband was sleeping with a dominatrix. She still held her head high, though, not letting even the toughest things penetrate her shield. Sometimes, on rare occasions, Sara let her emotions burst out, causing her to get in trouble or just to have an emotional break down.

Nick wondered how she kept her emotions hidden at times; did she cry her eyes out later in solitude? Did she have no emotional response to the cases at all? Nick would always ponder about those questions.

"Nick."

His head looked up. He had fallen behind Sara, walking very slowly.

"Huh?"

Sara gave him a gap-toothed smile, and said, "Come on."

Nick nodded and jogged to catch up with her.

Another crime, another killer, another case file.

**xxx**

**TBC**


End file.
